Chapter 2: The Prophecy

I looked out the window and in the moonlight saw the Werkshire rooftops below - the carriage was flying!  The horses were thrashing their large wings with tremendous force, moving us closer and closer to the mountain range ahead.  The coachman turned his face towards me, saw my gaze in the window, and gave me a friendly nod.  I studied his pointy ears and a pale neck when Ehram said, “This is Aro, the forest dweller.  His people have knowledge of the grass, flowers, and trees.  Forest dwellers and wizards have been living in peace and friendship for centuries.”

“Where is he taking us?”

“To the front gates of Lukzor; we should be there by dawn.  Today the valley by the gates is hosting a yearly Gathering.  This will be your first assignment – to accurately record today’s events.  The wizards will share stories containing new secrets and spells, and the Book of Chronicles must include all of them.”

As much as I wanted to learn more about my new assignment and the Gathering, the more pressing question was burning me.

“Can you tell me about my gift?” I asked the old wizard. 

Ehram nodded, closed his eyes, and suddenly started singing in a very low voice:

“Lukzor is prosperous, Lukzor is rich,

Lukzor is waiting for a Black Witch.

She will cast a spell on a young human male.

The spell of obedience will go stale.

The boy will control what happens to us,

The boy must be found before ruin starts.”

 

As I listened, a tiny image of a woman, a witch, appeared between the benches where Ehram and I sat, facing each other.  She was doing house chores, and I realized I was watching someone without their knowledge.  I looked curiously into her face, and suddenly recognized my university professor, Mrs. Harper!  She was the only professor who supported my writings, and I just could not accept that she was a witch… and an EVIL witch…

“Noralyn Harper is not an evil witch,” said Ehram, closely observing my reaction.  “Nora was young and inexperienced, and did not know how to control her powers.  Not only did she put the wrong spell on the young boy, but she managed to put a forbidden spell!  For that, she was banned from Lukzor with specific instructions to stay around the boy and report back when he is ready for his destiny.”

“I’ve known Mrs. Harper since my childhood…  She inspired me to write and guided me…  Am I that little boy?  What did she do to me? ”

“Yes, you are the young man the prophecy warned us about…  She inspired you to write, you say…  It is this inspiration that can ruin us all.  You see, she gave you the gift of making things happen just by writing them down.” 

I was puzzled.  Isn’t it a good thing when a historian writes something that makes a lasting impression on people, I thought…  After all, this is probably why the Wizards Council chose me to write the chronicles.

 

“When you write ABOUT the future, you WRITE the future,” Ehram interrupted my thoughts.

 

I sat there, not knowing what to make of the news…

“If you would like to test your gift, here is your chance,” Ehram extended his hand to me, and suddenly a feather pen and a small piece of parchment appeared in his palm.

“Let’s write something uneventful, something mild… Ah! Please, write – a rose will appear inside the carriage.”

As soon as I placed a period at the end of the sentence, unexpectedly, with a loud “puff”, a bright red rose appeared, hanging in the air in front of my face.  Startled, I jumped up, accidentally rocking the carriage, while Ehram openly laughed. 

“Lesson number one: what you write is what happens, and not the other way around.  Lesson number two: when you do not write the exact instructions, things just happen.  You did not specify where or how the rose should appear.  Please remember that the smallest details may have the biggest impact.” 

Ehram continued to chuckle but I did not share the cheerful mood, and just stared at the result of my scribbling, slowly realizing the magnitude my writing can have.

“Why did I never notice this before?  I must have written thousands of pages by now!”

“You did not notice it because you did not have it until this past midnight.  We just learned that the spell would come to live on the first day of Spring in your 30^th year of life.  You have only had this special gift for about 5 hours, and I believe you will need some education and training on how to live with it.  These are very exciting times for you!”

 “You JUST learned?  You mean you did not know when my writing would start changing the future?  But you are a wizard!”  I was surprised and furious at the same time.

“Even wizards have limitations, Charles.  We did not know, but we took some precaution.  Since your childhood you were always surrounded by “observers” – creatures from Lukzor who reported back on your well-being.  Even I was a part of the Watchful Eye formed by the Wizards Council – this is how I became your neighbor.  Also, Nora and I made sure you were only interested and wrote about the past, and never about the future, because the past cannot be changed.”

“I understand why someone would want my abilities…  But if I was being watched by your… people, why wasn’t I kidnapped earlier?”

“Because we protected your identify from the day the spell was placed on you,” answered Ehram.  “But there was a traitor in the Watchful Eye, and yesterday every creature in Lukzor found out who you are and what you can do.  At the Gathering today most would want your friendship, but the Others will seek to control you.”

 

“So, you see, Charles,” continued the wizard quietly, “this can be your gift, or this can be your curse.  If you are captured by the Others, they will have the means to persuade you to write anything they want, and the world as we know it will seize to exist.”

 

I have the power to shape the future, I thought.  I can do so much!  I can give food to the hungry, I can heal the diseased, I can stop all wars and enforce friendship…  But why was the spell placed on me in the first place?  Why?  I turned to Ehram, but the wizard was looking out the window at the rapidly approaching hilltop.  We arrived.

Reviews

[Beth]

oooh... what a plot! I like this.

Your writing style is very easy to follow, which is good. Many writers have good stories but lack the know-how to grip their readers. Kudos.

Also, I'm getting the impression that even though everything seems hunky-dory right now, it's not going to be for very long. I also was impressed that you addressed the question of his previous writing and how he had not noticed this gift before.